McDavid Awaits

WASHINGTON D.C. — The Pittsburgh Penguins (19-20-8) remain below .500 after leaving a smoldering crater where a five-game homestand was supposed to be. However, the Penguins clicked with A-level goaltending Friday night against the Buffalo Sabres and got back on the winning track. They’ll need their very best against the first-place Washington Capitals (30-10-5) at Capital One Arena on Saturday.

The Pittsburgh Penguins (18-18-8) have been trending sideways since the NHL holiday break. They have just two wins in their last eight games, but they have maintained their hockey .500 standing by virtue of three loser points. They’ll face old friend Jake Guentzel and the difficult Tampa Bay Lightning (22-15-3) on Sunday at PPG Paints Arena. The puck drops just after 5 p.m. The Penguins were sidetracked by the physical battles Saturday in a 5-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators.

The Pittsburgh Penguins (18-17-8) managed to keep their head above water despite a recent four-game losing streak because they earned three loser points with a pair of overtime losses and a shootout loss. The team snapped out of its post-holiday funk with a resounding win Thursday and badly needs to keep the momentum going as they face a fellow wild-card contender, the Ottawa Senators (19-18-3), at PPG Paints Arena.